Paper Bags and Dragons
by Dominobeck
Summary: AJ Lee loves Daniel Bryan. But even devoted girlfriends have their limits, and AJ reaches hers at the Grandest Stage of Them All.


**Disclaimer:** WWE Inc. owns the rights to the characters. I obviously don't - if I did, there would not have been an 18-second World Heavyweight title match at Wrestlemania.

**Author's Note:** My version of Wrestlemania and its aftermath for AJ. I started this before Wrestlemania but decided to go ahead and post it and keep working on it. Expect everything else from the show to have happened the way it did except for the World Heavyweight Championship match.

* * *

"Where are you going?"

AJ Lee paused at the sharp question, bag in hand. She looked back at her boyfriend and then dropped her eyes to his chest. She didn't want to give herself away - she was so close.

"The divas' locker room," she answered softly. Another quick glance up at the frown on Daniel Bryan's face told her he was about to start complaining. "Kelly told me she would help me with my makeup," she added quickly.

The lie rolled off her tongue so easily, AJ was almost surprised. She had always assumed that lying was one of those girl things - like makeup and grace - that she would never pick up. Not that her fib was completely untrue; Kelly and Eve often took pity on her feeble attempts at eyeshadow and blush and would surely help once she got to the locker room. Well, Kelly would, anyway.

"I guess that's OK. You probably need all the help you can get," Daniel told her matter-of-factly. "I hope you brought something decent to wear tonight for once. This is Wrestlemania - I need you to look like a diva tonight, not a kid from the audience who sneaked backstage."

AJ carefully kept her face blank, but she could feel tears building behind her eyes. "I know. I'll meet you at the curtain before your match," she said. "So I don't distract you."

She didn't wait for him to answer, just slipping out the door and threading her way through the hallways to the divas locker room. AJ actually had no intention of wearing any of the ridiculous dresses he had placed into her bag at the hotel, but he didn't need to know that until it was too late to matter. But hopefully, they still had the tags on them - then she could return them and go buy, like, those Wonder Woman Converse shoes she saw at Journeys a couple of weeks ago.

Once inside the locker room, she set her bag down at a spot near Kelly and started digging through it until she found the short, strappy black dress with brass buttons at the bottom of her bag. _"Daniel wants me in a dress? I'll wear a damn dress, all right,"_ she thought to herself in satisfaction as she adjusted the overall-like straps on the dress.

Daniel would hate it - which was the point, she thought as she also pulled on a pair of shorts that had Pikachu on them so there was no chance she would accidentally flash her underwear.

"Hey, Kelly," she began hesitantly. "Can you help me with this stuff?" AJ asked as she waved her makeup bag at the other woman.

"Sure," Kelly said with a friendly smile. "Sit down."

AJ pulled out a small box carefully wrapped in tissue paper. "I have these, too," she said.

"Oh, they're so cool," Kelly breathed as she opened the box and pulled out a set of false eyelashes with fish, stars and seahorses and held them up to the light.

AJ gave a pleased smile. Daniel would hate these, too, but if she was going to do the girlie thing, she was going to do it in her own damn way.

"What in the hell are you wearing?" Daniel demanded before they walked down the hallway right before his entrance.

"A dress," she replied, unable to keep the note of satisfaction out of her voice. "Just like you asked, Danny."

AJ had even foregone sneakers, opting for a pair of black, leather boots that laced up to just under her knees. Kaitlyn had once talked her into them, and she was grateful now - the leather alone was enough to rankle the vegan.

She shot a smile at the stagehand shooing them up the ramp to the curtain, grabbed Daniel's hand and pulled him after her. "We don't have time for this. C'mon."

She paused before the curtain and let him pass her before they walked out in front of the crowd, Daniel yelling, "Yes!" as always. She followed a few steps behind and openly rolled her eyes, knowing the gigantic video monitor would pick it up.

And then she grinned - she couldn't help it. This was Wrestlemania. This was a dream come true.

AJ didn't bother getting into the ring with Daniel. Instead, she took up a spot at ringside, knowing that all of her small displays of rebellion were throwing her boyfriend off.

Which, of course, was the point. Because one way or another, AJ was going to make sure he lost the one thing he loved the most - the World Heavyweight title.

AJ skirted closer to the announce table as Sheamus came flying out of the ring. The match had been back-and-forth, with neither man managing to gain the upper hand for long. Sheamus had the size and power advantage, but Daniel had fought cleverly, focusing his attacks on one of the other man's shoulders.

She winced as Daniel sent Sheamus crashing into the ring steps, shoulder-first. "Get up, get up," she chanted in her head. "Get back in the ring."

Sheamus did, but he was noticeably reeling. Her boyfriend sent him into the corner and then followed with a dropkick to that same shoulder.

AJ was suddenly reminded of just how good Daniel really was. It had been a while since she'd seen it, but for one long moment she allowed herself to remember why she had fallen in love with him - the skill, the focus, the fluidity. He was ... beautiful in the ring.

It was too bad he could be such a self-centered asshole.

But she couldn't help wincing as Sheamus tied him up in ropes and and brought out those chops. Even over the sound of the crowd, they sounded loud.

"Are you OK?" she asked Daniel as he dropped off the ring apron, kneeling beside him, one hand on his shoulder.

"Damn it, AJ!" he said as he pushed her hand away. "Stop distracting me!"

"Danny, I was just -"

He pushed himself to his feet, and AJ automatically reached out to steady him when he swayed. Daniel turned furious eyes on her. "Don't call me that," he spat out as he shoved her away from him. "My God, AJ, how stupid are you? You're useless!"

AJ stumbled in the unfamiliar boots, just barely catching herself on the barrier. Her eyes filled with tears, angry with herself more than Daniel. She knew better, but seeing him lying there...

God, he was right. She was stupid.

She looked up at the ring, still clutching the barrier. Her eyes met Sheamus' as he argued with the ref, and she almost flinched at the look in his eyes. But the pity in his eyes - she hated that more than anything.

AJ ran for the ring and pulled herself up on the apron, right behind where Daniel was, leaning against the ropes.

"Daniel!" she said.

He turned to look at her, that ugly look still in his eyes.

"A kiss for good luck," she told him softly, raising one hand to rest along his cheek. She glanced behind him to check on the ref. Yep, still arguing with Sheamus, who was pushing against the man. AJ took a deep breath before quickly planting a soft kiss on Daniel's lips, closing her eyes. She lifted her other hand to the side of Daniel's face, her hands grabbing his head before she jumped down from the apron, yanking his head into the ropes with her momentum.

She stumbled again as she hit the floor, still not used to the high-heeled boots. AJ looked up back up in time to see Sheamus lift a still-dazed Daniel up for the Celtic Cross. She turned and headed for the ramp, not wanting to see the end of the match, but hearing the ref's slaps to the mat. One, two, three.

As she heard Sheamus being announced the winner as his music filled the air, AJ paused and turned back. Daniel was lying on the mat, but he was also glaring at her. She could see his mouth moving - he was yelling at her, she was sure. And she was done crying.

AJ met his gaze defiantly and then pumped her arms up in the air and yelled, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She laughed as the crowd picked up the chant.

"Goodbye, Daniel Bryan," she said under her breath as she finished her way up the ramp and ducked backstage. "Goodbye."


End file.
